Coffin



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

=P. WASHBURDLH. G. 0. WHITE & G. A. COPELAND.

' OOFFIN.

No. 11,185. Patented June 27, 18:54.

COPELAND.

P. WA SHBURR-HG. 0. WHITE & G. A.

OOPFIN.

- Patented June 27, 1854.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILO WASHBURN, HARRISON G. WHITE, AND GEORGE A. COPELAND, OF TAUNTON,

. MASSACHUSETTS. I

COFFIN.

Specification of Letters Patent N 0. 11,185, dated June 27, 1854.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILo VVASHBURN, HARRISON G. 0. WHITE, and GEORGE A. COPELAND, all of Taunton, in the county of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Modeof Constructing Coffins; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description.

The nature of our invention consists, first, in a frame for the head and apparatus for raising and falling the head; second, the method of fastening on the top or cover of the coffin by means of hooks and eyes; and third, the facing or lining the sides of the lid and the aperture in the top of the coflin that receives the lid, with metal.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will describe the method of construction and operation.

We proceed to construct our coffin in any of the known forms and affix in the head or forward part thereof, a frame work (as shown at G Fig. 20f the accompanying drawings) upon which the head lining is made fast and extended. This frame work is secured to the coflin at the two sides and upper end by hooks, as at F F F F Fig. 2. At each side of this head frame, between it and the sides of the cofiin are two upright pieces, the ends of which are seen at I I Fig. 2. In the lower part of these uprights there is cut a slot in which the bar or head cushion support (C Fig. 5) moves. Upon the upper side of this bar is the head cushion as shown at P Fig. 5. This bar with the head cushion attached is operated upon by means of the tapes orstraps (s s Fig. 5) and after being raised or lowered to the desired position, is held there bysecuring these straps to pins upon the inside of the cofiin as at a a Fig. 4 or f Fig. 7. The slots and bar are so arranged as to allow only of an up or down motion to the head The top or cover of the cofiin is got out in the usual manner, except that it is not. pierced for screws, but in lieu thereof hooks, as shown at b 5, Figs. 3 and 6,are fastened to the under side of the cover; when the cover is placed upon. the coffin these hooks enter corresponding eyes upon the interior of the coflin; these eyes are shown at E E E E Fig. 2; in the drawing, two of them are attached to the coflin and the opposite two detached. Upon the under side of the cover, at each side thereof, near the head or upper end, there is also attached an eye, as at (Z (Z Figs. 3 and 6; these eyes receive the thumb screws or pins J J Fig. 2, and thus fasten the top firmly upon the coffin.

The lid or that portion of the top that is opened to view the face of the occupant corresponds somewhat in shape to that of the frame upon which the head lining is fixed. It moves upon hinges and is fastened by a catch or latch. A portion of the top with the lid raised is shown in Fig. 3. The edges of this lid and of the aperture into which it fits, are faced or edged with metal, thereby making a better finish and more firmly securing the lining upon the under side of the lid.

The advantages which we consider are to be derived from a use of these improvements are :the better adaptation of the head lining to the general outline of the head; the facility with which the head may be raised or lowered and thus brought to its proper position; the reduction in expense attendant upon the fastening of the cover to the coflin; the better securing of the lining of the lid; and the improved and neat appearance of both cover and lid.

What we claim as our invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is, I

1. A movable and adaptable head frame, round or otherwise, consisting of the following parts, viz: the head frame G, the bar 0, the uprights I I, the head cushion P, the straps S S, and the hooks F F F, as

represented in the accompanying drawings;.

2. The method by which the cover is secured to the coffin, viz: the eyes E E E E, the hooks b b, the eyes cl (l and the thumb screws or pins J J, as represented in the drawings;

3. The facing of the edges of the lid and its corresponding aperture with metal; all for the purpose and in the manner substantially as herein described. PHILO WASHBURN.

H. G. 0. WHITE; GEORGE A. COPELAND. Witnesses:

GEOMH. BABBITT,

HENRY WILLIAMS. 

